Last checked September 2026 against 9 sources · Editorial policy
Cooling pillows for night sweats: what helps and what to buy
A cooling pillow for night sweats can help you get back to sleep after a sweat, but it won't stop the sweat itself. The best evidence is one randomized trial of 74 women with hot flushes on breast cancer treatment: a cool pad pillow topper improved sleep efficiency almost twice as much as standard care. A cool bedroom matters too: at about 64°F (18°C), women had fewer hot flashes early in the night.
Cooling pillows, pillow toppers and cooling covers for menopause night sweats: the one trial, what a pillow can and can't do, and a premium and a budget pick.
Cooling pillows for night sweats: expectation vs reality
What people often expect
“A cooling pillow will keep me cool all night and stop night sweats”
What the evidence shows
Cooling covers and gel feel cool at first and slow the build-up of heat around your head, but they can't lower the core temperature that sets off a hot flash. In a 1999 study, hot flashes followed small rises in core body temperature in women whose comfortable temperature range had narrowed.
Do cooling pillows help night sweats? What the studies show
Cooling pillow for night sweats: the trial
In a randomized trial of 74 women with hot flushes and insomnia during hormone treatment for breast cancer, one group used a commercial cool pad pillow topper on top of standard care. Over 4 weeks, sleep efficiency improved almost twice as much as in the standard care group, and depression scores fell more. Hot flushes dropped more in the pillow group too, but that difference wasn't statistically clear.
Why hot flashes start, and what a pillow can do
Hot flashes are set off by small rises in core body temperature in women whose comfortable range between sweating and shivering has narrowed. In a 1999 study, women with symptoms had almost no gap between those thresholds, while women without symptoms had a wider one. A cooling pillow doesn't widen that range, but it gives your head and neck a cooler surface to shed heat once a flash starts.
Bedroom temperature, night sweats and pillows
In a sleep lab study of 18 postmenopausal women with hot flashes, nights at 18°C, about 64°F, had fewer hot flashes in the first half of the night than warmer nights: 1.5 versus 2.2 on average. The effect didn't hold in the second half, when REM sleep suppressed hot flashes anyway. A cooler room is the cheapest change, and a cooling pillow works best alongside it.
Types of cooling pillow for hot flashes
Cooling pillows use one of three approaches: a gel or phase-change cover that feels cold to the touch, a breathable fill such as shredded foam that lets air move, or a separate cooling pad or topper placed on your usual pillow, which is the kind tested in the trial. We found no studies comparing these types for menopause, so fit and comfort should decide.
Cooling pillows vs other night sweat fixes
A pillow cools only your head and neck. For heat across your body, the NHS's basics cost less: a cool bedroom, a fan and lightweight clothing. Bed-cooling systems cool the whole mattress, from $498 for BedJet to $1,599 per side for Chilipad 2.0. Treatment for hot flashes reduces the sweats themselves, and it's worth asking about if they wake you most nights.
Learn more →Getting the most from a cooling pillow
Use a removable, washable cover, because night sweats soak into pillows. Flip the pillow after a sweat so your head lands on a cooler side, and keep a spare pillowcase by the bed. Pair the pillow with a cooler bedroom or a fan rather than relying on it alone, since the sleep lab study found that room temperature changed how many hot flashes women had early in the night.
Learn more →Cooling pillows and night sweats by the numbers
74
4 weeks
1.5 vs 2.2
18
Both studies are small, and the pillow trial was in women on breast cancer treatment.
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It doesn't change what we recommend. How this works →
Cooling pillow types for hot flashes compared
Pillow with a cooling cover
Good for
Feels cool on contact; a simple swap for your usual pillow.Watch
The cool feel fades as the cover warms to your skin.Our pick: TEMPUR-Cloud Dual Cooling Pillow. A cooling cover on both sides, so you can flip it after a sweat.
Check price on Amazon →Shredded foam pillow with a breathable cover
Good for
Cheaper; adjustable fill lets air move.Watch
Cooling claims are the brand's own.Our pick: QUTOOL shredded memory foam cooling pillows, set of 2. A budget pick with adjustable fill.
Check price on Amazon →Cooling pad or pillow topper
Good for
The type tested in a randomized trial of 74 women with hot flushes.Watch
Tested in women on breast cancer treatment.Cool bedroom and a fan
Learn more →Good for
Fewer hot flashes early in the night at 18°C in a lab study.Watch
Hard to reach in hot weather without air conditioning.Treatment for hot flashes
Learn more →Good for
HRT and non-hormonal medicines reduce night sweats themselves.Watch
Need a prescription.
How to choose a cooling pillow for night sweats
- Choose a pillow height and firmness that suit how you sleep; cooling is a bonus, not a reason to sleep on the wrong pillow.
- Look for a removable, washable cover, since night sweats soak into pillows.
- Check whether the pillow has two sides, so you can flip to a cooler one after a sweat.
- Keep the bedroom cool as well: in a lab study, women had fewer early-night hot flashes at 18°C.
- Check the return terms before you buy a premium pillow.
When night sweats need a doctor, not a new pillow
Cooling pillows for hot flashes: questions women ask
Do cooling pillows work for night sweats?
They can help you sleep after a sweat, but they don't stop night sweats. In one randomized trial of 74 women with hot flushes, a cool pad pillow topper improved sleep efficiency almost twice as much as standard care; the drop in hot flushes wasn't statistically clear.
What is the best cooling pillow for hot flashes?
No pillow has been tested against another in menopause. The trial evidence is for a cool pad pillow topper. Beyond that, choose a pillow that fits how you sleep, with a cooling or breathable cover and a washable case.
Do cooling pillows stay cool all night?
Not on their own. A cover that feels cool when you lie down warms toward skin temperature. Flipping the pillow, a cooler bedroom and a fan all help keep the surface cool for longer.
Can a cooling pillow help menopause insomnia?
It may help if heat is what wakes you. In the pillow topper trial, women with hot flushes and insomnia improved their sleep efficiency more than those on standard care alone. For ongoing insomnia, CBT for insomnia helped women with hot flashes in a randomized trial.
Related →What temperature should my bedroom be for night sweats?
Cooler is better. In a sleep lab study, 18°C (about 64°F) reduced hot flashes in the first half of the night compared with warmer rooms. The NHS also advises keeping your bedroom cool at night.
Cooling pillow or cooling mattress pad for night sweats?
A pillow cools your head and neck for a small cost. A mattress system cools the whole bed, from $498 for BedJet to $1,599 per side for Chilipad 2.0. Start with the pillow, a fan and a cool room, and consider a bed system if you still wake up soaked.
Related →Is a cold pillow good for hot flashes?
A cold surface can feel good during a hot flash and may help you settle back to sleep, but it won't prevent the next one. Hot flashes start with small rises in core body temperature that a pillow can't change.
When should I see a doctor about night sweats?
The NHS says to get checked if you regularly wake up with soaking wet sheets, or if night sweats come with weight loss, a high temperature or a cough. HRT and non-hormonal treatments can reduce menopause night sweats.
Sources
- Marshall-McKenna R, Morrison A, Stirling L, et al. A randomised trial of the cool pad pillow topper versus standard care for sleep disturbance and hot flushes in women on endocrine therapy for breast cancer. Support Care Cancer. 2016;24(4):1821-9.
- Freedman RR, Roehrs TA. Effects of REM sleep and ambient temperature on hot flash-induced sleep disturbance. Menopause. 2006;13(4):576-83.
- Freedman RR, Krell W. Reduced thermoregulatory null zone in postmenopausal women with hot flashes. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1999;181(1):66-70.
- NHS. Things you can do to help menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
- BedJet. BedJet 3 product listing, price as listed (checked October 2026).
- Sleepme. Chilipad 2.0 Bed Cooling System product page (checked October 2026).
- The North American Menopause Society. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590.
- NHS. Night sweats.
- McCurry SM, Guthrie KA, Morin CM, et al. Telephone-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women With Vasomotor Symptoms: A MsFLASH Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2016;176(7):913-20.
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